Indicating means for vending machines



01er, 9, 192s. 1,686,949

F. J. BRANDT INDICATING MEANS FOR VENINGMACHINES Filed June 4, 1927 J JJ'FICiJ.-

INVENTOR:

BY r,

l /P l i l ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

.UNITED STATESy 1,686,949 PATENT fOFgFICE.

FRANCIS J. BRANDT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR F TWO-THIRDS TO HOLLWECK & BAUER, OF PHILADELPHIA,l PENNSYLVANIA.

INDICATING MEANS FOR'-VENDING MACHINES.

Applcatonled .Tune 4, 1927. Serial No. 196,444.

This invention relates to indicating means for ,vending machines and more particularly to device for ascertaining when the machine fullness of the machine.

Another feature lies in the formation of a combination indicator mounting and weight made el: sheet material and l'orined to fit within guides and over the wares. whereby upon the emission of the last unit vended, the indicating medium will .be displayed above the actuating and dispensing means of the machine.

l A further feature provides for positioning` the indicator mounting at the base of the compartn'ient after the compartment is emptied and the top unit of the stack to be vended is removed as a support for said mounting.

Other objects and features will beapparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which y Figure 1'is a view partly in section of a coin vending machine having a device in ac cordance with 'the invention positioned within the guides of a compartment containing` a stack of wares to be vended,

Figure 2 is a t-op View of the device.

Figure 8 is a front view showing the indieating means mounted thereon.

Figure 4 is a side sectional view of a modified form. p

Considering all the '.views simultaneously, similar designations referring to similar parts, numeralv 5 designates a form of vending machine to which my invention may be applied. The form of machine, as well as the type of plunger, suc-h as 6, coin chute 7, or the release mechanism, etc., constitutes no part of my invention and is illustrated 'merely to show the application of my device `in practice.'

which are stacked packagesv 9 ot confections or the like. Upon inserting a coin in tube 7 and actuating lever (i, the machine is adaptel ed to release one of the packages indicated.

Disposed above the top package is device 10 formed of sheet metal or the like with its bottom part havingextensions forming upwardly extending sides 11, 12 and a :t'ront part 13. The bottom is substantially equal to a cross-section of the compartment 8. The upstanding sides and front therefore provide a substantial-ly snug and aligned tit Within the compartment. To :t'ront part 13 may be pasted or otherwise seeuredan indicating card or other medium 14 to denote that' the machineis empty, or to give other informan tion. Device 1() is provided with sockets' 15 and within each socket is positioneda spring 16. Abutting the underside of each spring is av rod 17 having a bearing pin 18 resting on the top package.

When the compartment is filled substantially to the level of the bottom otl the deA vice, the springs will be compressed and the rods lodged wholly within the sockets. The

to the spring tension and the weight of the device. As the packages are vended, the rods will be pushedA from the sockets by the springs, as shown in Figure 1, and the pack-y ages bear the weight of the device only. The

weight of thedevice keeps the packages close together and assures ready dispensation. lVhen the lastI package is withdrawn, pins 18 willfall within apertures 19 and the indicating sign positioned behind glazed opening Numeral 8 represents a compartment in pins will then bear against the packages due E20. Pins 18 are retained in line with the apertures 19 due to the'snug sliding lit of the sides and front of the device within the compartment.

Figure 4 shows a modil'iedform of device in which the' pin and rod are directly secured to the bottom of the device. In both forms the devices are designed so vthat when pins 18 iit within the apertures at the bottom of the compartment, the signs will be at the proper height to show through the glass.

.1t the compartment is enlarged. as for eX- ample by shifting brackets 22 controllingthe position'of the back part 23 of the compartment, the bottom of the device is correspondingly designed to fit the new era. If desired, the sides of the compartment and device may be formed with a tongue and groove, or other arrangement, so that the same may be divided into two or more parts and by correspondingly providing different openings, various conditions of the machine may be denoted. 4

While I have described my inventioni as taking a particular form, it Will be understood that modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider'that I am at liberty to makesuch 'changes and al- .terations as fairly come Within the scope of the appended claims.

l. In a vending machine, a compartment adapted to contain a stack of material, an indicating device within `the compartment, means on said device for enabling it to slide in said compartment with its bottom part in a plane substantially perpendicular to the sides of the compartment, said devicf,` having su ortinfr means ada )ted to exert a variable PP s l pressure on a stack of material Within thecompaitment, and means at the bottom of the compartment for receiving said supporting mea-ns and fixing the indicating device in a predetermined position.y

2. An" indicating device for vending ma-I chines having means for resting on alstack of material, said means normally projecting a cer-tain distance Within the machine from the baseV of the device, and projecting .a smaller distance when the machine is subv stantially full.

the device Within the compartment at' a disdevice may serve dlerent sized compartments. The sign tance above a stack of material therein, said means resting on top of the stack, and means for receiving said supporting means whereby the indicating partivill precipitantly drop to a desired position'when the last of the stack of material is ven'ded. i

et. Means for indicating the fullness vof a vending machine comprising a base having an area substantially equal to a cross-section of a` compartn'ient of the machinel ivherein material is adapted to be stacked, extensions on the base adapting itto slide within and in aligned position with respect to the compartment, means including a socket Within the .device having a spring therein exerting tension against a. rod adapted to rest on the"ma..- terial within the compartment,K said spring and rod being adapted to tiX indicating means on theA device in a predetermined position when the machine is empty.

5. In a vending machine having a comstacked and apertures in the bot-tom of the compartment, an indicator including a base, side and front Walls on the base for guiding the indicator in the compartment, sockets secured to 'the base, springs in the sockets, rods slidable in the sockets and abutting the springs, and pins secured on the rods for resting' upon the uppermost piece of materia-l in the compartment and adapted to enter the .65 partment in which material to be vended is apertures When the last piece of material is vended. l

6. In a vending machine, an indicator on a ldevice having supporting means7 receiving means for retaining said support-ing means when the machine is empt-y, an opening in the machine, said supporting means being arranged so that the indicator Willy be observed through the opening only when said supporting means are Within thereceiving means.

In testimony WhereofI have signed my name to this specification. r

FRANCIS J. BRANDT. 

